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<p>Florida guard Kasey Hill drives to the basket as Florida Gulf Coast forward Kevin Mickle defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday Nov. 11, 2016, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP)</p>

Florida guard Kasey Hill drives to the basket as Florida Gulf Coast forward Kevin Mickle defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday Nov. 11, 2016, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP)

JACKSONVILLE — In the midst of a 13-0 run during Friday night’s game between Florida and Florida Gulf Coast, UF point guard Kasey Hill snagged an errant pass from Eagles guard Zach Johnson. With Johnson breathing down his neck, the 6-foot-1 Hill raced down the court for the fast-break opportunity, exploded into the air and jammed it over the defender’s outstretched arms, giving the Gators a 60-50 lead.

“I didn’t think I was gonna make it,” Hill said after Florida’s 80-59 win. “I jumped from really far back, and it just happened to went in.”

For much of his time at UF, Hill’s play has been inconsistent.

A former McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit, Hill has averaged just 7.3 points per game in three seasons at Florida, he has shot above 40 percent from the field for a season just once — a 40.7-percent clip his freshman year — and is a career 56.9-percent shooter from the free-throw line.

For the senior point guard, Friday felt different.

In the first game of his final season, Hill scored 11 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting and went 3-of-4 from the foul line, helping the Gators (1-0) defeat an FGCU team that made an NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago.

Hill also turned the ball over just once, grabbed three rebounds and tallied four assists, including a well-timed lob to 6-foot-11 center John Egbunu for an alley-oop early in the first half.

“He’s been really solid. He’s been a leader,” UF coach Mike White said of Hill. “It’s his last go-around, and I thought he got off to a really good start tonight.”

Hill played with poise and controlled aggression throughout the entire game.

His stats didn’t jump off the page but White said his impact was felt, scoring when the opportunity presented itself, swinging the ball to open players and effectively playing the passing lanes.

Defensively, he was a thorn in the sides of the Eagles’ guards all night, helping force two of FGCU’s 19 turnovers and disrupting the Eagles’ ball movement.

On the offensive end, Hill was smooth, finishing with grace amongst taller defenders for a few key layups during Florida’s 32-8 run during the second half.

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And although Hill devoted countless hours over the summer toward improving his jump shot, he stuck to what was working — driving and passing.

“I don’t need to try to go out and hunt for shots,” Hill said. “I think me going out and facilitating is better for the team.

“The team will win more games if I do that instead of trying to go get mine.”

White said he’s trying to challenge Hill to be a more active defensive rebounder, a part of the game that could help Florida create more fast-break opportunities and easy buckets.

“When he can rebound down, we can start that break a little bit quicker,” White said. “He’s so prolific in the open floor.”

Rebounding aside, UF’s second-year head coach was pleased with Hill’s effort.

“We would take that from him every night,” White said, “and feel really good about our point guard position.”

Contact Ray Boone at rboone@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @rboone1994.

Florida guard Kasey Hill drives to the basket as Florida Gulf Coast forward Kevin Mickle defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday Nov. 11, 2016, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP)

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